5 Value Stocks With Exciting EV-to-EBITDA Ratios to Snap Up Now

The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is broadly considered the yardstick for evaluating the fair market value of a stock. It is preferred by many investors while handpicking stocks trading at attractive prices. However, even this universally used valuation multiple is not without its limitations.While P/E is the most popular valuation metric, a more complicated multiple called EV-to-EBITDA works even better. Often considered a better alternative to P/E, it gives the true picture of a company’s valuation and earnings potential, and has a more complete approach to valuation. While P/E considers a firm’s equity portion, EV-to-EBITDA determines its total value.El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. LOCO, EZCORP, Inc. EZPW, OppFi Inc. OPFI, Lincoln National Corporation LNC and American Assets Trust, Inc. AAT are some stocks with attractive EV-to-EBITDA ratios.Is EV-to-EBITDA a Better Substitute to P/E?EV-to-EBITDA is essentially the enterprise value (EV) of a stock divided by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). EV is the sum of a company’s market capitalization, its debt and preferred stock minus cash and cash equivalents. EBITDA, the other component of the multiple, gives a better idea of a company’s profitability as it removes the impact of non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization that reduce net earnings. It is also often used as a proxy for cash flows.Just like P/E, the lower the EV-to-EBITDA ratio, the more attractive it is. A low EV-to-EBITDA ratio could signal that a stock is potentially undervalued. EV-to-EBITDA takes into account the debt on a company’s balance sheet, which the P/E ratio does not. Due to this reason, EV-to-EBITDA is generally used to value the potential acquisition targets as it shows the amount of debt the acquirer has to assume. Stocks boasting a low EV-to-EBITDA multiple could be seen as attractive takeover candidates.Another shortcoming of P/E is that it can’t be used to value a loss-making firm. A company’s earnings are also subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. On the other hand, EV-to-EBITDA is difficult to manipulate and can also be used to value loss-making but EBITDA-positive companies. EV-to-EBITDA is also a useful tool in measuring the value of firms that are highly leveraged and have a high degree of depreciation. It can be used to compare companies with different levels of debt.But EV-to-EBITDA has its limitations, too. The ratio varies across industries (a high-growth industry typically has a higher multiple and vice versa) and is usually not appropriate while comparing stocks in different industries, given their diverse capital requirements.A strategy solely based on EV-to-EBITDA might not yield the desired results. However, you can club it with the other major ratios in your stock-investing toolbox, such as price-to-book (P/B), P/E and price-to-sales (P/S) to screen value stocks.Screening CriteriaHere are the parameters to screen for value stocks:EV-to-EBITDA 12 Months-Most Recent less than X-Industry Median: A lower EV-to-EBITDA ratio represents a cheaper valuation.P/E using (F1) less than X-Industry Median: This metric screens stocks that are trading at a discount to their peers.P/B less than X-Industry Median: A lower P/B compared with the industry average implies that the stock is undervalued.P/S less than X-Industry Median: The lower the P/S ratio, the more attractive the stock is, as investors will have to pay a smaller price for the same amount of sales generated by the company.Estimated One-Year EPS Growth F(1)/F(0) greater than or equal to X-Industry Median: This parameter will help in screening stocks that have growth rates higher than the industry median. Average 20-day Volume greater than or equal to 100,000: The addition of this metric ensures that shares can be traded easily.Current Price greater than or equal to $5: This parameter will help in screening stocks that are trading at a minimum price of $5 or higher.Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: It is a fundamental truth that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) have always managed to beat adversities and outperform the market.Value Score of less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a Value Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2, offer the best upside potential.Here are our five picks out of the nine stocks that passed the screen:El Pollo Loco develops, franchises, licenses and operates quick-service restaurants under the name El Pollo Loco. This Zacks Rank #1 stock has a Value Score of A. El Pollo Loco has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 16.9% for 2024. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LOCO’s 2024 earnings has been revised 3.8% upward over the past 60 days.EZCORP is engaged in establishing, acquiring and operating pawnshops that function as convenient sources of consumer credit and value-oriented specialty retailers of primarily previously owned merchandise. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has a Value Score of A. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.EZCORP has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 12.5% for fiscal 2025. The consensus estimate for EZPW’s fiscal 2025 earnings has been revised 2.4% upward over the past 60 days.OppFi is a tech-enabled specialty finance platform that powers community banks to help everyday consumers gain access to credit. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has a Value Score of A. OppFi has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 68.6% for 2024. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for OPFI’s 2024 earnings has been revised 16.2% upward over the past 60 days.Lincoln National is a diversified life insurance and investment management company. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has a Value Score of B. Lincoln National has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 28.5% for 2024. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LNC’s 2024 earnings has been revised 15.5% upward over the past 60 days.American Assets Trust is a vertically integrated real estate investment trust that acquires, develops and manages premier office, retail and residential properties throughout the United States. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has a Value Score of B. American Assets Trust has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 5.4% for 2024. The consensus estimate for AAT’s 2024 earnings has been revised 9.1% upward over the past 60 days.You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 DaysJust released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +24.1% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Lincoln National Corporation (LNC): Free Stock Analysis Report EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW): Free Stock Analysis Report American Assets Trust, Inc. (AAT): Free Stock Analysis Report El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO): Free Stock Analysis Report OppFi Inc. (OPFI): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks